LONDON: Hospital doctors in England plan to strike around Christmas in their longest industrial action in the history of Britain´s state-run health service, after pay talks broke down on Tuesday.
Junior doctors -- those below consultant level -- have already staged several strikes this year because of deadlock over pay demands sparked by the biggest cost of living crisis in a generation.
The doctors will walk out from December 20 to December 23 and again from January 3 to January 9, their union, the British Medical Association (BMA), said in a statement.
Members voted to strike after negotiators for the UK government´s health department failed to put forward “a credible offer to end the pay dispute” following five weeks of discussions, the BMA added.
The union said junior doctors were offered a 3.0-percent rise on average this year, on top of an 8.8-percent increase they were already given earlier this year. The BMA said the proposal would “still amount to pay cuts for many doctors this year”.
Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital groups in England, said January´s six-day stoppage “will be the longest strike in NHS (National Health Service) history during the busiest and toughest time of the year”.
A spokesman for Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the planned action as “clearly” disappointing. He said the government´s offer had been “fair and reasonable”.
Crew members of NGO rescue ship 'Ocean Viking' give lifejackets to migrants on an overcrowded boat in the...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, at a parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday, said Canada had ‘clear... indications that...
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump is being covered by the Secret Service after...
People wait for a food distribution in a displaced persons camp at the Lycée Marie Jeanne in Port-au-Prince on...
Former Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accepts greetings from the assembled media and election observers...
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a presentation ceremony of national medals and honorary titles, at the Great Hall...